wolfbirder
Well-known member
Also posted this in 'Information Wanted' section.
I am certainly not trying to unnecessarily scare people off from visiting this wonderful birding area, but the attached highlights the control of the border area between Turkey and Syria. Birecik lies just 20kms from the very sensitive border area. Please do view the attached 2013 article, I suspect the situation is still the same if not worsened from a safety aspect.
http://www.noria-research.com/2014/...-areas-in-the-context-of-the-syrian-conflict/
The Kurdish PKK have previously been the only group recognised as a terrorist group within Turkey's south-eastern provinces, a group who have for years been in dispute with the Turkish Government itself over independence and recognition. The Kurdish people they represent have actually benefitted from some western protection and intervention in recent years, and kidnapping westerners is not a behaviour trait they have generally indulged in. They have agreed a ceasefire with the Turkish Govt in recent years.
However, the establishment of Islamic Front (IS/ISIS/ISIL) who are the opposition group fighting the Assad Government in neighbouring Syria, were previously supported to some degree by the west and Turkey (ISIS as with Al Qaida were said to have been trained and financed by the US when they first set up), & this has resulted in them making unprecedented gains, partly controlling the border between Turkey and Syria on the Syrian side, and they have recently taken a stranglehold around the Syrian capital Aleppo which itself is only about 50 miles from the Turkish border. Aleppo maybe on the verge of collapse. The support of ISIS largely came through Turkey who wanted to see Assad's regime overthrown, ammunition, supplies and fighters from across the world came via Turkey's border areas with Syria. Injured fighters would receive treatment in Turkish hospitals. Only now is Turkey and the west becoming very concerned about the enemy it has supported. The Turkish population is also polarised regards support of ISIS, and farmers by the border run an illegal fuel trade to ISIS in Syria still, despite recent pressure on Turkey to control its borders with Syria - a 913 km long front! As the Turks were sympathetic and supportive of the Syrian opposition to President Assad, refugee camps have been established in SE Turkey and the opposition ISIS fighters often regroup in SE Turkey in towns such as Antakya (NOT ANTALYA) as there is virtually free movement between the 2 countries. The Turkish Govt have very recently constructed a 5km long wall so that access from Syria to Antakya is much tougher, though all in reality that will do is push the border sensitivity eastward a few miles.
Some ISIS fighters as we all know, include young men who have flown from the west including the UK, and it is suspected these men are responsible for the recent execution of the US journalist.
A fellow US journalist recently released, was apparently kidnapped in Antakya in Turkey before being taken into Syria. Scary stuff.
The situation is complex and fluid with many different groups & factions, but I thought it would be worth at least highlighting just how dangerous it potentially could be for birders at present, especially for those who stray south of Birecik into border areas in search of rare desert species. (Birecik lies between Gaziantep and Sanliurfa (Urfa) on the attached map). I have read one report that undertook such a trip recently to see See-see Partridge and Pale Rock Sparrow. Birecik itself may be unsafe, if they want to kidnap a westerner, Birecik would be the ideal place I would have thought?
The situation has changed simply because of the strength and growth of ISIS in the border areas.
I am no expert, merely trying to the interpret a situation that I probably do not really fully understand. But it is worthy of discussion in my opinion, single westerners especially (as I was this spring), could make perfect kidnapping targets!
However, I would have thought that within its own country, it would not be in its own interest to encourage or allow this, as it could certainly affect its tourist trade much further west in Southern Turkey. Pressure on Turkey has certainly been ramped up in recent days, but it is questionable just how and whether Turkey will be able to control the situation now it has almost got out of hand.
I would be interested in the views of those who better understand the complex situation than me.
I am certainly not trying to unnecessarily scare people off from visiting this wonderful birding area, but the attached highlights the control of the border area between Turkey and Syria. Birecik lies just 20kms from the very sensitive border area. Please do view the attached 2013 article, I suspect the situation is still the same if not worsened from a safety aspect.
http://www.noria-research.com/2014/...-areas-in-the-context-of-the-syrian-conflict/
The Kurdish PKK have previously been the only group recognised as a terrorist group within Turkey's south-eastern provinces, a group who have for years been in dispute with the Turkish Government itself over independence and recognition. The Kurdish people they represent have actually benefitted from some western protection and intervention in recent years, and kidnapping westerners is not a behaviour trait they have generally indulged in. They have agreed a ceasefire with the Turkish Govt in recent years.
However, the establishment of Islamic Front (IS/ISIS/ISIL) who are the opposition group fighting the Assad Government in neighbouring Syria, were previously supported to some degree by the west and Turkey (ISIS as with Al Qaida were said to have been trained and financed by the US when they first set up), & this has resulted in them making unprecedented gains, partly controlling the border between Turkey and Syria on the Syrian side, and they have recently taken a stranglehold around the Syrian capital Aleppo which itself is only about 50 miles from the Turkish border. Aleppo maybe on the verge of collapse. The support of ISIS largely came through Turkey who wanted to see Assad's regime overthrown, ammunition, supplies and fighters from across the world came via Turkey's border areas with Syria. Injured fighters would receive treatment in Turkish hospitals. Only now is Turkey and the west becoming very concerned about the enemy it has supported. The Turkish population is also polarised regards support of ISIS, and farmers by the border run an illegal fuel trade to ISIS in Syria still, despite recent pressure on Turkey to control its borders with Syria - a 913 km long front! As the Turks were sympathetic and supportive of the Syrian opposition to President Assad, refugee camps have been established in SE Turkey and the opposition ISIS fighters often regroup in SE Turkey in towns such as Antakya (NOT ANTALYA) as there is virtually free movement between the 2 countries. The Turkish Govt have very recently constructed a 5km long wall so that access from Syria to Antakya is much tougher, though all in reality that will do is push the border sensitivity eastward a few miles.
Some ISIS fighters as we all know, include young men who have flown from the west including the UK, and it is suspected these men are responsible for the recent execution of the US journalist.
A fellow US journalist recently released, was apparently kidnapped in Antakya in Turkey before being taken into Syria. Scary stuff.
The situation is complex and fluid with many different groups & factions, but I thought it would be worth at least highlighting just how dangerous it potentially could be for birders at present, especially for those who stray south of Birecik into border areas in search of rare desert species. (Birecik lies between Gaziantep and Sanliurfa (Urfa) on the attached map). I have read one report that undertook such a trip recently to see See-see Partridge and Pale Rock Sparrow. Birecik itself may be unsafe, if they want to kidnap a westerner, Birecik would be the ideal place I would have thought?
The situation has changed simply because of the strength and growth of ISIS in the border areas.
I am no expert, merely trying to the interpret a situation that I probably do not really fully understand. But it is worthy of discussion in my opinion, single westerners especially (as I was this spring), could make perfect kidnapping targets!
However, I would have thought that within its own country, it would not be in its own interest to encourage or allow this, as it could certainly affect its tourist trade much further west in Southern Turkey. Pressure on Turkey has certainly been ramped up in recent days, but it is questionable just how and whether Turkey will be able to control the situation now it has almost got out of hand.
I would be interested in the views of those who better understand the complex situation than me.
Last edited: